NHL Hockey playoff Thread

[vash23n]

Flyers in 5. I feel it.

[skyknight]

I am leaning towards the Hawks at this point, but the first 2 games of the final may dictate on how the outcome will probably be.

It does come down to the goalies of both team, since both are hot now. Then comes the guns on both sides, the Hawks are in good condition, while the Flyers have a couple there are still recovering - but nobody plays for the Stanley Cup unhurt!

Should be a good story on both sides, for the Hawks this is the really the new era after "Dollar Bill" Wirtz; for the Flyers, hellua yeah for "Brotherly" Love city after the Pens won it last year.

[vash23n]

I seem to be the only one who thinks last night's loss was not Michael Leighton's fault - the entire team played like ass. Every goal on Leighton was the result of a major defensive lapse. The Blackhawks didn't play well either. I feel like Leighton was only pulled to shake up the rest of the team, but I don't think it was the right move. The Hawks were only up by 1. If the score was 5-0, then you pull the goalie out of desperation. The Hawks seemed to get a big ego boost when it looked like they chased our number 1 goalie to the bench. I am glad to hear that Leighton is starting tomorrow.

[BlackDS]

Man, I forgot I made this thread!

I am really torn on which team I want to not lose now, I hate the Flyers and the Blackhawks equally, but for different reasons. the Flyers because they rip on crosby, and they bend the rules on the ice. The Blackhawks because I like to see Hossa cry , and because they have designed their entire near future on this one year. After this, they wont make it to a stanley cup final for years.

[vash23n]

Man, I forgot I made this thread!

I am really torn on which team I want to not lose now, I hate the Flyers and the Blackhawks equally, but for different reasons. the Flyers because they rip on crosby, and they bend the rules on the ice. The Blackhawks because I like to see Hossa cry , and because they have designed their entire near future on this one year. After this, they wont make it to a stanley cup final for years.

Man I feel like that's a pretty tough argument you make. The Hawks have some pretty great young players, there are multiple reasons they are known as the Pens of the West. The Pens had Crosby, who was sort of a sure thing his first year, but there was no way of knowing if he would bomb or not (plenty of first picks have done it). It also took Malkin a couple years to get where he is now (there is an interview with him on yahoo.com at the moment where he admits this). The Pens didn't make it to the cup the first year Crosby was on the team. The Pens were recognized as a team with potential, a team that was building. Plenty of people are equally obsessed with Ovie and the Caps have yet to make a real run for the cup. Saying that the Hawks don't have the talent to make another strong run for the cup is confusing for me - I think, did they do what the Flyers did and trade for players that would give them a shot this year and maybe the next before those players are done (Pronger) or do they have players that are about to enter the free agent market or who threaten the cap, meaning they will have to be traded next year... I think the Hawks have a lot of young talent and they had a legitimate run last season, a superb run this season, and will have just as good a run next season as their youngsters mature.

I do, however, hope they lose because I am a Flyers fan. I also can't help finding the whole Hossa situation amusing. It is one of the most interesting trends of the last three years. I do take issue with the Flyers ripping Crosby aspect of your argument. This is, in my opinion, one of the better rivalries in the NHL right now. Smack talk goes both ways. Maybe it hasn't been Sid the Kid, but I have read plenty of stupid things Penguins players have said against the Flyers. I can't remember who it was, but one guy said it was stupid for Flyers fans to cheer so loud at home games. He said that the players can't hear what they are saying anyway so why do they think they matter so much just because it's a home game? To me this was just as big an insult to the Pens fans. Or is it different at the Igloo? The point being, smack talk goes both ways. Also, smack talk against Crosby is league-wide. It always gets pinned on the Flyers because it is such a great rivalry, but you hear it just as much from every single team - I believe last year the players voted that Crosby was the biggest whiner on the ice... it would take more than just the Flyers roster voting to win that award (don't take it personally, Richards was on the list too).

On this note, I think it is absolutely absurd that the Pens are in the Winter Classic again. I am just as tired as the Crosby vs. Ovie battle that Bettman has a hot nut for as everyone else. I know it will bring in ratings, but I think there are plenty of teams that could do that if they were featured... if you are going to feature the Pens again, they should have had a Caps/Bruins match last year and a Pens/Flyers match this year... a true battle of PA! That would have been epic!!! I know ratings are important, but at least keep it interesting. Get two years out of Crosby and Ovie rather than one meeting.

EDIT: As for bending the rules, every broadcast seems to hint that Crosby gets away with a lot... not just Crosby, but a lot of finesse style players on different teams. The Flyers, however, because of their style of play, tend to get whistled on a lot of penalties without the refs thinking twice. Reputation plays a key here, I admit, but in a negative way for the Flyers... if you are going to talk about bending the rules on the ice, the Flyers are the worst example to give. Also, while we are at it, the Flyers being thugs argument is just overused. There are plenty of teams that play an aggressive style of hockey like the Flyers. It is an outdated argument that dates back to the bully days... guess what, after that one season where the Flyers were the bullies, most other teams said "hey that is a good idea" and went out and got enforcers of their own. This style of play existed up until the lockout, may would argue. Post lockout, the Flyers weren't the only team that had a trouble getting with the times - dumping heavy enforcers for finesse. Our previous GM, Clarkie, was forced to resign because he wanted to stick to that style of play. Look at the players on the other teams and tell me that the Flyers are the only thugs/bullies in the league - Cooke? Phaneuf? Bfyuglin (sp?)? Ovie? And it's not just recently, this is the way it has always been - Tucker, Domi, Stevens, Holik, the list goes on and on... the problem I find (here is my stereotyping of the Pens) is that a ton of fans JUST started watching hockey when Crosby joined the league and don't realize that thuggery has existed in the league for a long time and for many teams and with many players. It's time to get over the "Hatcher knocked Crosby's tooth out in the first game he played against the Flyers" whining and realize that this is hockey and no one wants a pussified style of game - not even the players if you listen to what they say.

[vash23n]

Man sorry about that above post, I didn't mean for it to sound so venomous, I was a bit tipsy - to say the least. I stand by my points, but they weren't directed at anyone on this forum, just about things in general. Hope no one was offended. I won't delete it as, again, I still agree with what I said. This is a great thread and I am impressed that a hockey thread made it this far with people still contributing on this site. Good input everyone!

[DaGamingMonkey]

Hoping the Hawks take it in 5

[Luke]

Man sorry about that above post.

Me too. No matter how tipsy I get I'd never admit to being a Flyers fan.

Stoked for the game tonight.

I'll have a few friends over (I'll regret inviting them over tomorrow) and I've got 4 sweaters for us to wear:

Chicago 1967 Blackhawks, away (I'm wearing this one)
Chicago 1993 Blackhawks, home, Eddie the Eagle
Philadelphia 2006 Flyers, home
Philadelphia 2000 Flyers, away, Eric Desjardins

[Luke]

Hoping the Hawks take it in 5

I hope your hopes come true.

[vash23n]

Man sorry about that above post.

Me too. No matter how tipsy I get I'd never admit to being a Flyers fan.

Stoked for the game tonight.

I'll have a few friends over (I'll regret inviting them over tomorrow) and I've got 4 sweaters for us to wear:

Chicago 1967 Blackhawks, away (I'm wearing this one)
Chicago 1993 Blackhawks, home, Eddie the Eagle
Philadelphia 2006 Flyers, home
Philadelphia 2000 Flyers, away, Eric Desjardins

Haha, Touche!

EDIT: Flyers and Blackhawks played better tonight. I think the teams played pretty evenly, but the real decision maker was Niemi. This guy has some talent. I thought we'd run him over like the other two young superstar goalies, but Niemi could give us some trouble. I predict a 2-2 series by the end of game 4.